History Lesson: Heart of the matter by Hayami Ichikawa and others at Asahi Shimbun in Japan pinpoints the real issue behind the ongoing conflict between Japan and Korea over Dokdo (Takeshima) islets: Koizumi and his cabinet are clueless.

Hayami understands why Koreans are so upset over Dokdo and explains it well:

To the South Koreans, Takeshima, a group of islets called Tokto in Korean, represents a symbol of Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula.

The incorporation of the Sea of Japan isles into Shimane Prefecture on Feb. 22, 1905, is viewed as a prelude to what Japan was later to inflict upon the peninsula.

It's now 2005 and it seems to be happening all over again.

Japanese government's history whitewashing service covers US too because mentions of the fact that no WMD has been found in Iraq were removed from school textbook drafts at the request of Japanese government officials.

Pretty funny?  Well, not if you consider that Japan is trying to buy a seat in the UN Security Council.  Brrrrr!